Mumbai Tamilians in for a treat

In this civic election, DMDK has put up candidates in five wards, reports Naresh Kamath .

Captain Bombay ke varang (Captain is coming to Bombay), scream the party workers of Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK, which translates as the National Progressive Dravidian Party).

Tamil superstar Vijaykanth is indeed coming to Mumbai. President of the DMDK, he is popular as ‘Captain’ after his memorable role in the film Captain Prabhakar.

In this civic election, his party has put up candidates in five wards — including Dharavi, Sion and Trombay, which have sizeable Tamil populations.

Mumbai Tamilians are in for a treat, as Vijaykanth will hold a public rally at Dharavi to campaign for these candidates.

“For years, we Tamils have been treated as votebanks and nothing concrete has been done for our welfare. Our party would not just cater to the Tamils but also other communities who are marginalised," said Swamy Nadar, General Secretary, DMDK.

DMDK is currently forging links with the North Indian community and trying to create a pressure group in the city.

Laxmi Devendra, the DMDK candidate from Ward no 168 at Sion, says Vijaykanth as her idol and says the party is committed to providing basic necessities to the citizens.

"The entire civic services have collapsed in my area and citizens are deprived of a decent life. I am sure Captain would sway voters towards me," said Devendra.

The party was launched in September 2005 but only Vijaykanth was the lone candidate to win the seat from the Virudhachalam seat and other 231 candidates had to face defeat.